


Found

by Storyteller_of_the_Forest



Series: When the Dust Settles [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Dreams, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I don't do downbeat endings, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Reunion, Sort of a fix-it, Thor (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 14:13:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14750405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storyteller_of_the_Forest/pseuds/Storyteller_of_the_Forest
Summary: The god of thunder was certain that he had died in his brother's arms, succumbing to the wounds inflicted by Thanos. When Thor wakes up in Wakanda, still grievously wounded, he's not sure if he'll survive. His only respite is when he sleeps, but his dreams are...strange. He keeps finding himself in a peaceful meadow and there's a familiar slender figure in dark clothing. But when Thor calls out to him, he vanishes. What is this odd place and why does he keep ending up there? And why won't Loki respond to him?





	Found

**Author's Note:**

> It's super late at night and I'm going to post the last two fics of this series. Why? Because I have a super busy few weeks ahead of me, which involves some traveling and potentially limited internet access (so excuse any late responses to comments). And if I don't post these fics, I'm going to be thinking about them.
> 
> I genuinely didn't expect "No Place to Hide" to be the start of a short series. And I still think that fic stands fine on its own. These other ones are more me playing with narrative devices and other narrative tools (and giving a big middle finger to the Russos while I'm at it. Which is, you know, really fun). 
> 
> This idea came to me from my love of dream sequences. I'll admit, 90% of the time, dream sequences are terribly executed. However, I was absolutely in love with Taika Waititi's use of a dream-like world in "Thor: Ragnarok" (when Thor meets Odin after he's struggling to fight Hela). I was playing around with how two characters can connect in a dream and voila. As with all dream sequences, there's going to have to be a bit of a suspension of disbelief. Also, I'm not a medical professional, I don't know jack about medicine, so apologies for any glaring errors on that front.
> 
> Also, while writing all the fics in this series, I was listening to "Brother" by Kodaline a lot. A LOT. So, it's kind of he unofficial soundtrack for the series.
> 
> REGULAR WARNINGS
> 
> Haven't seen Infinity War. Am not going to see Infinity War. I don't do romantic ships, especially not between family members. If you're into that kind of thing, go elsewhere please.
> 
> in my mind, after the battle with Thanos, Thor left the Avengers to take care of his people. The original Avengers disbanded and there's a mostly new group of superheroes taking up the mantel. I feel like the original team earned a retirement after defeating Thanos. However, they all still keep in touch and visit each other on occasion.
> 
> I'm very, VERY new to writing fics. So I apologize for any mistakes, mis-characterizations, formatting errors, or just any glaring errors. Please be gentle.
> 
> Kudos and reviews are greatly appreciated. I don't own anything, obviously all characters and recognizable aspects belong to Marvel.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story and thank you for reading.

* * *

 

Coming back was agonizing. The pain was overwhelming and rendered him unable to speak and unable to move. He could often hear voices around him, usually trying to communicate with him or trying to figure out what the problem was. Ever the warrior, Thor tried to fight against the weight holding him down and force his body to speak, to scream, to give any indication that he was back again. When his body wasn’t consumed in pain, he couldn’t feel anything. He could only see in blurs of color, nothing recognizable. It was infuriating.

The only relief he had was when he slept. Thor often found himself in a vast field of grass and flowers, similar to the last place he had seen his father. Odin! He was a son of Odin!

This place was untouched by Thanos’ evil. It was peaceful and comfortable, if a little dull. There was a hint of magic in the land, which reverberated through Thor. He could feel the magic of another, cool and gentle, weaving through his body. It was…familiar, something that had been given to him on the field of battle. By one who was trying to help him, begging him to stay, someone he thought dead…

Loki, his brother, thrice escaped the clutches of death, returned to fight the one he feared the most. The monster that had harmed his brother, Thor and the Avengers had fought him, he had fallen. But Thor had avenged his brother. It had cost him his life, but he had destroyed Loki’s tormentor. Loki…

And then, Loki was standing there. With his back to Thor, dressed in fine dark clothing. It took a few nights, but eventually, Thor was able to call out to him. At first, Loki just stiffened and didn’t turn around. The next time, he tried again and this time, Loki turned and stared at him. His brother looked shocked, even a little scared. Thor attempted to get to his feet, to go to his brother, to tell him how happy he was that Loki had survived, to embrace him tightly and never let him go. But his legs didn’t work. It took a monumental effort just to speak his brother’s name. Thor woke up in frustration, but found his vision was slightly clearer and he felt less muddled.

“Thor? Can you hear me?” the Captain’s voice asked. Thor swallowed, wincing at the dryness of his throat, and nodded once. The amount of pain from the simple movement of nodding brought tears to his eye.

“Can you squeeze my hand?”

Thor closed his eyes, frowning, and tried to do as the Captain asked. After a moment, he shook his head. The effort to do such a simple request had worn him out. He heard some concerned muttering.

“That’s okay, buddy. You’ve been through a lot and you need your rest. Go back to sleep,” the Captain said and Thor could hear the unease in his voice. Truthfully, he was too exhausted to be bothered by his body not responding to commands. Thor knew he had been dead and if they had brought him back, chances were there would be some difficulties. One didn’t return from death without some trials and tribulations. _Unless you’re Loki, apparently,_ Thor thought, wishing he could roll his eye.

He returned to the pleasant meadow and spotted his brother standing near a tree, one he remembered being in their mother’s garden. It had been one of Loki’s favorites and his younger brother could often be found reading in its branches. Thor called out to him again and this time, it was Loki who disappeared without even looking in his direction. Thor sighed and lay back so that he could look up at the beautiful sky. The wind swept over him and Thor closed his eye, thinking about Asgard. He thought of him and Loki running through the long halls of the palace as young boys, playing together, not a care in the world.

_*_

Thor wasn’t sure how long he lay in a state of stupor, but the feeling very gradually came back to his hands. There was still an unnatural numbness to his body and everything that wasn’t numb hurt. Every tiny movement took a monumental amount of effort and thought. When Thor realized that moving his head didn’t cause as much pain as most other movements, he turned his head to the side and spotted the Captain sitting in a chair near his bed. Steve’s head was down, his arms crossed over his chest, and he was dozing. A short distance away, Thor noticed Sam was stretched out on a couch and Bucky was asleep across four chairs that had been pushed together.

“Captain Rogers?” Thor could barely whisper. Steve didn’t wake up, which didn’t surprise the god of thunder.

“That one sleeps like a brick. All three of them do.”

A happy voice came from his other side and Thor carefully turned his head to see a young dark-skinned woman who he recognized as T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, a brilliant young scientist who put all other scientists to shame. Thor didn’t think even the technology of Asgard could come close to the young woman’s inventions. She beamed when his eye fell on her.

“Good morning, Sleepyhead. Welcome back to the land of the living,” Shuri said. “You’re an absolute mess, but I think we can fix you up. You’re able to breathe on your own again, so that’s a good sign. You’ve proven to be a challenging patient, Thor.”

Thor smiled apologetically at her and she laughed. Moving out of his line of sight, she returned with a tablet, tapping a few things on the screen.

“Your lightning keeps shorting out the nanites, so I’m still trying to figure that out. There’s also some green light pulsing in your veins, but that seems beneficial. It has been a little over six months since Thanos was defeated. Strange and some of the others figured out how to bring you back, but not how to heal a lot of your wounds, which just seems very sloppy and rude. I guess we can’t hold it against them, magic tends to make people lazy especially when they think something can’t be improved further,” she continued, turning the tablet toward him. “It’s going to be difficult for you to talk for a while yet, so you can use this. Your neck is fixed enough that you should be able to use your arms a little more freely now.”

She leaned down and pressed a button, making the bed he was on slant upwards slightly so Thor was in a more seated position. Shuri handed him the tablet and Thor glanced at the keyboard.

 _Thank you,_ he typed out and showed it to her, smiling faintly. She laughed and nodded.

“Of course. You fought beside my brother and our people. And as I mentioned before, you’re a challenge. I enjoy challenges.”

Thor turned the tablet back to him and erased the message, typing another one. He swallowed and hesitated, almost dreading the answer. Turning the tablet back to the young woman, he watched her face closely for any reaction.

_My brother, Loki?_

She licked her lips and looked back to him. “He’s gone back to New Asgard. I don’t think Fury or Strange told him what they were going to do. They didn’t tell any of us. They probably didn’t want to give anyone any false hope. Your brother still thinks you’re dead, as do most of the others. I think the only other people who know you’re alive are my brother, Captain Rogers, Bucky, and Sam.”

Thor dropped the tablet and slumped back, scrubbing his eyes. If he were seeing Loki in his dreams…but that was impossible. Thor didn’t have his brother’s talents for magic. He frowned as he thought about what Shuri had told him. Picking up the tablet again, Thor typed out another message.

_You said there’s some kind of green light?_

Shuri nodded. “Yeah, it looks like it’s in your veins. It’s not as noticeable anymore, now that you’ve started healing a little more on your own. But those first few nights you came back, you were glowing with silver and green light as if you were made from vibranium. It was fascinating.”

Thor thought back to his brother finding him on the field, those last few moments they had together. When Thor had first come to consciousness, Loki had been attempting to heal him using his seidr. That could be the link, why he was seeing Loki in the meadow when he slept. His brother’s magic sometimes had peculiar side effects that manifested in the strangest ways. Loki might have unconsciously created a temporary link between them. _Gods, that would thrill him,_ Thor thought dryly, imagining how annoyed his brother would be at the thought of having his unconscious invaded.

Looking back to Shuri, Thor thought of something else that filled him with dread.

_The Infinity Stones?_

Shuri bit her bottom lip again. “They might have used one or two of the remaining ones to help bring you back. We were keeping them here, in my lab, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to take them back to their headquarters for further testing. After you came back, we were so overjoyed that we must have forgotten to keep them under lock and key. Somehow, a person with powers, which may or may not have been red, the footage was grainy, got into where the stones were being kept and destroyed them.”

Shuri pressed a hand to her cheek and made an over exaggerated shocked face. “I was positively stunned. How could I be so careless?”

Thor smiled feebly and Shuri laughed.

“I don’t think that won us many allies in S.H.I.E.L.D. but T’Challa and the rest of the Avengers preferred that the world not be destroyed.”

Thor let out a sigh of relief and slumped in the bed, closing his eyes. He felt better knowing those stones would never be able to destroy lives again.

“Well, I’ve got other duties that require my attention. I’ll check in on you later tonight,” Shuri said, smiling and nodding toward the sleeping soldiers. “Those three will likely be awake soon. If you need anything, I’m sure one of them will be more than happy to help out.”

Thor smiled and closed his eyes, letting his mind drift away from the waking world.

_*_

As difficult as his brother was to track down in the real world, he was even more slippery in the land of dreams. Thor wasn’t even sure if his theory about being connected was correct. This dream Loki could just be a figment of his imagination. His brother was thousands of miles away and thought he was dead. He had no reason to speak with Thor. Yet he could still feel Loki in that peaceful meadow. Thor knew he was there…somewhere.

The god of thunder woke up frustrated after failing to find his brother in the dream world again. He blinked against the harsh light that flooded the room and glanced over to the window. Steve had opened a window, allowing sunlight into the room. The soldier was currently sitting on the sill, looking out over Wakanda.

“Captain Rogers?” Thor rasped, drawing Steve’s attention. The man out of time grinned, relief apparent in his expression.

“Hey, Thor. Good to see you again,” Steve greeted as he moved over to the bedside, sitting in the chair that was there. “Can I get you anything?”

“Something to drink, perhaps?”

Steve nodded and reached over to a table where there was a decanter of water and some cups. Pouring some water in a cup, Steve handed it to Thor, making sure he could grasp it. Thor smiled appreciatively and brought the cup to his lips, eagerly draining the cool water. Closing his eye, he leaned his head back.

“How are you feeling?” Steve asked. Thor studied him for a moment and almost chuckled. Judging from Steve’s expression, it wasn’t good. He probably wasn’t out of danger yet.

“Mostly numb,” Thor replied. “Movement is…difficult. But I don’t feel as sluggish as I did when I first awoke.”

“That’s good,” Steve said, but Thor could still hear the concern in his voice. “You were in pretty bad shape when they first brought you back.”

Thor grinned. “I don’t know if I’m entirely out of the woods yet, Captain Rogers. My body still feels like it’s failing.”

Steve’s smile wavered a little. “Ah, don’t think like that, Thor. You’ll be fine. It just might take some time.”

Thor sighed, closing his eye. He still felt so weak, like his body could give out at any moment. He had taken many wounds in his life, but never so severe that they had actually killed him. Not for any measurable length of time anyway. Thor wasn’t a fool. He knew there was a chance he wouldn’t heal. The damage to his body was extensive.

“I see my brother in my dreams,” Thor confessed to the Captain. “In a meadow. He doesn’t respond to my calls. Something about the place…it’s very strange, but I cannot say why.”

“Do you want to call him?” the Captain asked. “Let him know you’re okay and will be coming home eventually.”

Thor shook his head, though his heart was breaking. _I don’t want him to lose me all over again. I won’t be that cruel to him,_ the god of thunder thought.

“I would prefer to regain my strength first. I do not wish to give him any false hope,” Thor said. “And…I want Loki to continue leading our people while I recover. I know my brother has the ability to be a good leader. If anything ever were to happen to me, again, I want him to be prepared for leadership. I want him to have the right sort of confidence in himself.”

Steve frowned in a way that indicated he was unconvinced. “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”

Thor nodded and Steve sat at his bedside again. Thor raised an eyebrow as he took in the Captain’s appearance.

“Still copying my facial hair, I see,” he teased. Steve laughed softly and nodded. “It’s a good look on you.”

“I’m fairly certain Bucky disagrees with you,” Steve replied and Thor couldn’t help but laugh softly. His laughter turned into a cough, which sent waves of agony through him. Steve sat at his friend’s side, watching helplessly.

“Shuri’s still working on the nanites, but I’m sure she’ll figure something out real soon,” Steve said, making conversation as he poured Thor another cup of water. “You’ll be up and about in no time.”

“I have no doubt that she will,” Thor agreed, looking over at Steve again. “Has there been any news about New Asgard?”

“Brunhilde is going there at the end of the week. She splits her time between here and there. New Asgard is coming along fine. Your people were pleased with your brother’s return, though they’re still observing a period of mourning for you,” Steve said.

“And my brother?”

Steve ran a hand through his hair. “He’s still pretty broken up, Thor. Loki has good days and bad days, but the bad outnumber the good at the moment. Brunhilde is confident that will change eventually.”

Thor looked toward the window in the room, feeling a pang in his heart. He greatly missed his brother and worried about Loki. All he wanted was to hear his voice and reassure him that everything would be okay. But he couldn’t do that just yet, not when he wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Thor didn’t want to give his brother any kind of false hope, in case his body did decide to give out. He wanted to make sure he was really truly back before he contacted Loki.

_*_

After a few more times trying to call to his brother in the meadow, Thor decided to try a different tact. Taking a page from Loki’s book, he didn’t look for his brother, letting Loki decide whether or not to approach, and instead Thor just enjoyed the serenity of the land. He shifted uncomfortably. The pain from the real world followed him into dreams and he still couldn’t use his legs. His upper body felt a little stronger than it did in reality, which was odd. Then again, his brother’s magic had always mystified Thor. Frigga had often told Thor that his brother was powerful, but Thor had never truly appreciated it until they were older. Until he’d lost Loki.

There was a quiet rustling and out of the corner of his eye, Thor saw a slender figure approach hesitantly. It took everything in him to not react. He kept his eyes out across the field, not wanting to scare his brother away. A few minutes passed and then, Loki slowly lowered himself to sit next to Thor. For a long time, they just sat, side-by-side, in silence. The god of thunder thought back to all the times Loki had faked his death, all the times he’d run away instead of facing consequences, and the one terrible time he decided to face a monster. To protect Thor. _Loki, I thought the world of you. I thought we were going to fight side-by-side forever._

“Why?”

Thor frowned and looked over at the trickster, who was so close to him their shoulders were practically touching. Loki kept looking out across the field. He was sitting cross-legged, his hands clutched tightly in front of him. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes and his lips were set in a thin straight line.

“You knew,” Loki continued, a tremor creeping into his voice. “You _knew_ that you couldn’t defeat Thanos. You knew the mad titan was too powerful. You knew that he would kill you and you still ran headfirst at him. You ran straight to your death. Why?”

“Loki, I—”

“You got yourself killed, Thor! Why did you always have to be the hero?” Loki hissed accusingly, swiping at his tears. He let out a broken laugh. “I don’t even know why I ask. Of course you had to do it. The galaxy had to be saved—”

Thor turned as much as he could and reached out a hand, grasping the back of Loki’s neck, making his brother meet his eye. He had to make Loki understand. To his shock, there was no anger or petulance in Loki’s expression, only sorrow. It broke Thor’s heart.

“Brother, I did not fight the mad titan solely to save the galaxy. Yes, that was important and I would do it again in a heartbeat, but it was not the only reason. Loki, he murdered you right in front of me. You are the only family I have left and I failed to protect you. I had to watch you die again. And then when I found out what he did to you all those years ago,” Thor paused, bringing Loki’s brow to rest against his own, feeling tears well in his own eye. “Loki, you’re my brother. You’ve always been my brother. I could not let you go unavenged. No matter what you did, what mistakes you made, you didn’t deserve to be tortured. Nobody deserves to be tortured. ”

“But I always come back! You know I always come back,” Loki protested, tears beginning to spill down his cheeks. “All you had to do was wait a little longer, Thor. You just had to hold back for a little while and I would have been there. I would have helped you or fallen with you.”

“I didn’t know,” Thor insisted. “I thought Thanos was different. I thought I had truly lost you and my heart couldn’t bear it.”

“You were the one who said you wanted us to fight side-by-side forever. That’s what you said on Sakaar. So I came back. But you left me alone. You left me alone, Thor.”

“Oh Loki, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, brother,” Thor said, pulling his younger brother into his arms. “I never meant to leave you. I thought I was going to join you in Valhalla.”

“You shouldn’t be dead. You’re not supposed to be dead. You always survive,” Loki cried, folding his arms within his brother’s. “It should have been me. I was the one who brought Thanos’ wrath upon us.”

“No, brother, no. Please don’t think such things. You saved me and our people, Loki. Twice. You saved many of our friends and it almost cost you your own life. I am glad you survived. Loki, I am so glad you’re alive,” Thor whispered, holding his brother close. “You’re my brother and I love you. My brave, undying, often infuriating younger brother.”

Loki trembled in his arms, sniffling. Thor thought back to the battle, feeling his blood flooding out of him, knowing he wouldn’t survive. The look of fear in Loki’s eyes, unlike any Thor had ever seen in him before. He had been shattered. Thor had done his best to hold on, even though he knew it was futile, but he had tried. He hoped Loki knew that. Swallowing, Thor held his brother even closer, burying his nose in Loki’s dark hair.

“Even in my sleep you’re a sentimental fool,” Loki grumbled and Thor laughed quietly. His brother slowly straightened up, frowning.

“You feel…different,” Loki said, studying Thor. “Something is wrong.”

The trickster pressed against him, his hand glowing green. His brow furrowed and he got to his feet, watching Thor expectantly. The god of thunder just looked up at his brother, smiling fondly. Loki was clever and his ability with magic was second to none. Thor found that he was proud of his younger brother and vowed to tell him so if they ever reunited again.

“Why haven’t you tried to follow me?” Loki asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

“Because I cannot.”

Loki knelt down next to Thor, searching his face with a confused expression. “But…why? Why would I see you wounded in such a way?”

Thor leaned back so that he rested on his elbows. The ache in his body was starting to intensify and he was doing his best to hide it. It was getting increasingly difficult.

“I’m alive, brother. In Wakanda. They brought me back somehow, but were unable to heal many of the wounds I took in battle,” Thor explained and Loki tilted his head. “Lady Shuri’s nanites are having difficulty repairing the lingering damage due to my lightning. She’s trying to figure out how to remedy the problem, but it might take some time. And I do not know if I have time.”

“On the battlefield, I used my seidr to heal some of your wounds. You must be using it to connect with me,” Loki whispered, looking at Thor. “How? How are you able to do this?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Thor chuckled, but Loki shook his head. The god of thunder grimaced and lowered himself so that he was lying down. The pain was starting to become unbearable. Loki inched even closer, studying his brother, reaching out a shaking hand to lie on his shoulder.

“Are you here, Thor?” Loki asked quietly. “Is this possible?”

Thor looked over at him. “I wish I could say for sure, brother. I hope I am. Seeing you again takes some of the pain from my heart. I miss you, Loki. I would contact you, but…I don’t want you to have to lose me again. I couldn’t do that to you, brother.”

Loki met his gaze, searching his face. For a long time, there was a comfortable quiet between the brothers.

“You say your lightning is preventing Shuri’s healing tech from helping you?” Loki asked and Thor nodded. The trickster twisted his hands in a way that indicated he was doing magic of some kind. Soon, green light started glowing around and in his hands.

“I think I can use my magic to temporarily mute your lightning powers, but I have never done it in this way. Usually the spell I’d use would require my physical presence and since your powers have evolved, your power may surpass mine. I’m going to try to connect with the seidr you still have and try it that way.”

Thor nodded and closed his eyes. Loki glanced at him once and then started casting the spell, reaching out for the fading whispers of seidr. Suddenly, Thor’s hand grasped his, startling Loki. The trickster looked back to his older brother, who still lay with his eyes closed.

“This won’t hurt you, right?” Thor asked sternly. Loki huffed a laugh.

“No, brother. This will have no negative effects on me. I’m not that fond of you.”

Thor chuckled softly and let go of Loki’s hand. The dark-haired god turned his attention back to the spell. Smooth green light spilled from his hands, floating above Thor’s limbs and body, disappearing beneath his skin. After a moment, the light faded from Loki’s hands and the trickster sat back.

“Okay, I think that will work,” Loki said and Thor opened his eyes. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, trying to move his legs.

“I don’t feel any different,” he said and Loki smiled.

“No, you probably won’t. You might feel a little strange when you wake up, a little less like you, but that will go away once the spell wears off,” Loki replied. “If it worked, it will only last a few days. After that, perhaps you will have regained enough strength to control your powers.”

Thor nodded. “Thank you, brother.”

“Don’t thank me. It may not have even worked.”

“But you tried,” Thor said with a grin. “Sometimes that’s enough.”

Loki scoffed. “Sentiment.”

Thor studied his brother. “I’m glad your sleep is peaceful.”

The trickster frowned and looked over at his older brother. “Pardon?”

Thor gestured around them. “This place. It’s peaceful.”

Loki swallowed and averted his eyes, which made Thor uneasy. That wasn’t a good sign. Thor studied their surroundings a little closer and it began to strike him how ordinary the place was. It was just a little too calm, a little too perfect. There was nobody around, which seemed incredibly lonely. It wasn’t like Loki at all, who thrived on attention and excitement.

“Loki, what is this place?”

For a while, Loki didn’t answer. He kept his eyes forward and his mouth set in a tight line.

“A spell,” Loki finally admitted. “I forget it once I wake up. It keeps my sleep dreamless, though it does make bad memories more vivid in the waking world, an unfortunate side effect.”

“Oh Loki,” Thor whispered. “I wish you wouldn’t do such things.”

“I can’t bear the nightmares, Thor. I can’t bear remembering you and mother dying when I sleep,” Loki said, shaking his head. “Sometimes you need to decide which pain is more endurable.”

“Were all your dreams so terrible?” Thor asked.

“No, but most were.”

Thor’s brow furrowed as he thought about some solution. He didn’t want to cause his brother more pain, but the god of thunder knew hiding from pain wasn’t exactly healthy either. Running a hand through his short hair, he glanced over at Loki.

“Brother, did you keep Stormbreaker?”

Loki scoffed. “You and your weapons, Thor. Yes, I kept your new ax and brought it with me to New Asgard.”

“Can you cast a spell to remember a request?” Thor asked, drawing a confused look from Loki.

“Perhaps, why?”

“Do you trust me, brother?” Thor asked and Loki raised an eyebrow.

“As much as I trust anyone,” he replied after a moment. Thor grinned.

“I wish to ask you a favor,” Thor began. “I want you to remove this spell, allow yourself to dream again. If you have a bad dream, hold onto Stormbreaker’s grip. Let it remind you that you were brave and strong enough to face a mad titan twice.”

The god of thunder paused, playing with the grass beneath his hand. “Let it remind you that you have a brother who loves you and will do everything in his power to return to you.”

Loki kept his gaze out across the lands. “You know, even if I remove the spell from myself, I won’t remember any of this. I won’t remember you or this conversation. I’m not sure you will either.”

Thor shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I have faith in you. You might not remember it in the waking world, but perhaps it will be somewhere in your mind or in your heart.”

Loki stretched his long legs out in front of him, reclining back on his elbows. Thor smiled as he looked at him, mirroring his position.

“Loki, let’s do ‘Get Help,’” Thor suggested eagerly. Loki stared at him in disbelief.

“No.”

“Come on, just once, for old time’s sake,” Thor pleaded. “It will be fun. You can throw me for a change.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at him. “We’re not doing ‘Get Help.’ Gods, if you weren’t hurt, I’d throw you off that damn cliff over there for suggesting such an absurd thing.”

Thor snorted and looked off across the peaceful field. For a long while, the two brothers sat in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

“When do you think you’ll return?” Loki asked.

“As soon as I can, Loki. I swear to you, as soon as I possibly can,” Thor promised and Loki looked over at him, concerned.

“Please get better, Thor. Focus on yourself and your health for a change. Take time to heal,” Loki said. “Thanos knew how to inflict pain and suffering. He had been doing so longer than either of us has been alive, perhaps even longer than Odin was.”

Thor reached out and gripped the back of Loki’s neck, bringing his brow to rest against his own one last time. “I will see you again, brother.”

_*_

Even with Loki’s spell and the improved nanites, it took a long time for Thor to recover. The internal wounds were extensive and practically all of his bones had been broken or fractured. Some of his vertebrae had been crushed and required a long time to repair. Steve, Bucky, and Sam had stayed in Wakanda after everyone had left. They had been preparing to leave when Thor had been brought back and when they realized he was alive again, they stayed. The three of them took turns helping Thor in his recovery.

Aside from helping with his rehabilitation, they also kept him abreast of news out of New Asgard. Thor was pleased with everything he heard about his people and their new home. It helped alleviate the tedium of the slow recovery and when Thor got frustrated, he just thought of returning to New Asgard. Loki was doing a great job leading, much better than the other times. Still, his heart hurt hearing about the bad days his brother had, when the grief was too much.

As the days went on, Thor very gradually started to forget the meadow in his dreams. His sole focus became recovery. Slowly, very slowly, the god of thunder started to feel somewhat like his old self again. Moving was starting to get a little easier, but he still required a lot of help to walk.

Once Thor was out of danger, Sam left to return to the Avengers compound. He had been named one of the heads of the new Avengers and needed to help train the team. Thor was sad to see him go, but was happy that one of his shield-brothers had such a fantastic opportunity. Bucky and Steve hung back to help Thor continue his recovery.

One day when Bucky was helping Thor walk back to the bed, Steve entered the room and smiled at his friends.

“Hey Thor,” Steve greeted with a hesitation that sent a chill down Thor’s aching back. “You’re looking better every day.”

“Uh oh,” Bucky said quietly next to Thor, having spotted the same thing the god of thunder did.

“Captain Rogers,” Thor said, as Bucky helped him to sit on the bed. “Is something wrong?”

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, exchanging a look with Bucky. “Remember a while ago how you said you thought you were communicating with Loki in dreams somehow?”

Thor frowned, trying to remember what Steve was referencing. “Vaguely. Why? Has something happened?”

“No, no,” Steve replied, putting his hands on his hips. “It’s just Brunhilde and Ayo are visiting New Asgard and Loki’s having a really rough day. The worst he’s had in some time and I think speaking with you might help. They tried to get him to talk to Bruce, but he won’t hold the phone or talk. I think it would help if you were to get in touch with him.”

Thor ran his hands over his face, knowing his brother tended to internalize his grief. Even if Thor called, Loki probably wouldn’t speak on the phone. But Thor wasn’t healed enough to leave Wakanda. He was just starting to be able to walk around the room and still required aid.

Thor bit his lower lip, drumming his fingers on the bed. Frigga used to be able to visit them without physically manifesting, but that had been in Asgard. It was never a talent Thor had personally possessed, but Loki did. And his brother had been able to do it outside of Asgard. Looking at his hand, Thor rubbed his fingers and thumb together. He had connected to his brother using his seidr. That was almost depleted and there were only faint traces of it left. But perhaps there was enough…

“Thank you for telling me, Captain Rogers,” Thor said, offering the soldier a smile. “If you two will excuse me, I’m feeling rather tired and I would like to sleep for a while.”

Steve nodded and turned to leave, followed closely by Bucky. Thor laid back and closed his eyes, searching deep within himself and feeling the seidr still in his system. He tried to remember what Frigga had taught him about seidr, wishing he had paid more attention back then. Thor focused on the seidr, imagining it flowing back to Loki and bringing him to New Asgard. He began to feel tired and strange, as though he were fading away.

Thor suddenly found himself in the main area of a modest house, sparsely decorated with furniture. It was very cozy, the last place he would expect his younger brother to wind up. He could hear rain pattering on windows. Thor turned and felt a knot in his throat at the sight that greeted him.

Loki was curled up on the couch, a blanket draped over him. His hair was greasy and tangled, obviously not having been washed. His brother was so finicky about his appearance. Seeing him so disheveled was distressing. The couch was right next to the window and Thor hoped the storm was providing Loki with some small measure of comfort.

Glancing toward a nearby table, Thor saw a note from Brunhilde to his brother: _Lackey, Korg and I will cover for you today. Please at least eat something. Ayo and I will be back later tonight._

Thor sighed and knelt by the couch, gently running his fingers through his brother’s tangled hair. His fingers seemed to go straight through Loki. Thor wasn’t sure if Loki could sense him or if he would know he was there. Gently kissing his temple, Thor rested his head on his brother’s shoulder, watching his face.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, Loki. I’m so sorry that you are hurting and I’m sorry that I’m somewhat to blame for it,” Thor whispered as he continued stroking his hair. Loki’s eyes fluttered and opened. He frowned and his eyes wandered around the space, obviously not seeing Thor. Loki ran a slender pale hand over his face.

“I miss you, brother,” Loki whispered to himself, pulling his arms closer to his body.

Thor could feel his heart breaking. He leaned over Loki, so that he was close to his ear. “Loki, you have always been strong. You faced your worst fear to protect me. You saved me, brother. I need you to draw on that strength now. Stay here, lead our people, and I will find you. I swear to you, Loki. I will return to you soon.”

Rubbing his brother’s shoulder and kissing his brow one last time, Thor stood up and faded back to the hospital bed in Wakanda. He opened his eyes and resolved to work harder to recover as fast as he could. He was tired of being separated from his brother. New Asgard needed them both and Thor was determined to get home.

An idea came to him and he pressed a buzzer near his bed. A few moments later, Steve appeared in the open doorway.

“Captain Rogers, would our former shield-brothers be interested in travelling to New Asgard? Perhaps visiting with my brother in my stead?”

Steve smiled widely. “I’ll make some calls.”

_*_

It was another year before Thor was finally able to return home. He had let Brunhilde know ahead of time that he was coming and she had threatened to kill him if he ever did that again. Despite her irritation, there was a hint of relief in the Valkyrie’s voice. She had given him the key to Loki’s modest home, which was on the edges of New Asgard.

He arrived in the early evening and it was just starting to rain. Thunder crashed in the distance, which brought a smile to Thor’s face. He waited for his brother nervously, hoping Loki wouldn’t be too upset with his long absence. He should have called ahead, but Thor had been so excited about finally being reunited with his brother that it had completely slipped his mind. When he heard the lock turning in the front door, Thor waited for his brother in the kitchen, assuming his brother would make himself some tea.

Loki didn’t enter the kitchen. His quiet footsteps remained in the main area. Thor moved over to the doorway and his breath caught when he saw his brother sitting in a chair, his back to the kitchen, resting his head on his fist, obviously tired. There was Loki, alive and well. Thor felt an enormous amount of pride in his younger brother. Gods, he had missed the dark-haired trickster. Swallowing, Thor struggled to speak.

“Leadership suits you.”

Loki leapt about a foot in the air and whirled around, which gave Thor a certain amount of satisfaction. Ever since they were younger, Loki had always been able to sneak up on Thor and Thor could almost never do the same. Emotions crossed Loki’s face rapidly, none remaining long enough to give him some idea of what the younger god was feeling or thinking.

“Brother—”

A knife sailed through the air and Thor barely moved out of the way. _I’m home,_ he thought with a mix of irritation and contentment.

Later that night, curled up in bed and holding tightly to his soundly sleeping brother, who was safe and alive, Thor allowed himself a small smile as he fell asleep. He was finally home.

 

 

**_The End_ **


End file.
